Yes!

[kc261]

This is really just wild speculation, but I wonder... since pre-scenting a room can be so successful in getting a snake ready to eat at mealtime.... what effect does it have to have the snake in the same room as the rats where the smell is always there? It might stimulate the appetite, or it might dull the snake's senses to the smell, or it might let the snake think food is always around, I don't need to worry about eating right now.

[frankykeno]

This is really just wild speculation, but I wonder... since pre-scenting a room can be so successful in getting a snake ready to eat at mealtime.... what effect does it have to have the snake in the same room as the rats where the smell is always there? It might stimulate the appetite, or it might dull the snake's senses to the smell, or it might let the snake think food is always around, I don't need to worry about eating right now.

I don't know that it makes any difference. All I can tell you is we have a decent sized group of ball pythons living in a large extra bedroom with our rat colony and they hit them like freight trains on feeding night. I can't say I've noticed any difference, good or bad, since they started rooming with the rats.

Becky, keep on keeping on hon. It took us ages to get two of the CH hatchling females to go. One did start after I think it was 4 weeks of assist feeds, the other (Kennis) we had to force feed for about 7 weeks I think it was and it was NOT fun and very worrisome. Kennis is now doing beautifully and slamming her fuzzy rats like there is no tomorrow. I do remember the thrashing and spitting it back when we tried assist feeding her so it ended up having to go to force feeding or we were going to lose her.

What Mike and I did hon was have a stock of f/t feeders ready but always gave her the chance first to take a live one of the same size. Every week she ignored it and we'd end up helping her. One week she just figured it out I guess and WHAMMO she hit her dinner. I can tell you Mike and I were creeping out of the area like thieves until we could get far enough away to jump around and holler happily. Once Kennis figured it out, she's never looked back and is a very strong feeder now (as is Darra, the one that had 4 assist feeds to get her going).

[muddoc]

Oh believe me, I've tried assist feeding every feeding, leaving her alone completely for 2-3 weeks and then trying again, leaving the mouse in the tub overnight.. Little turdlet. I could eat her. Not really, but still. I always leave the mouse in for 3-4 hours(it's a large fuzzy, almost hopper, very mobile, eyes closed sometimes), just in case she wants it, and then I try to assist feed by placing it in her mouth, pulling back on the mouse to hook it on her teeth and putting her back in the tub(and standing VERY still!). Even when force-feeding, if I leave part of it still in her mouth, to see if she will swallow it the rest of the way, she thrashes and tries to throw it up.

*sigh* Ah well, I'll leave it in overnight next Thursday and see how she does, if she doesn't want it, I'll leave her alone for 2 weeks, then try again. She's in a black/smoke colored 6qt sterilite. The room doesn't get ANY traffic other than the rats on the other side of the room, but she can't see those anyway(bigger snake rack is blocking the view).

I'll give it a try and see what she says

Very excellent explaination Becky. It sounds to me like you are doing everything perfect. Keep up with the persistence, and I'm sure you will succeed. Keep up the great work, and it's a good thing those little ones have such a great mom.